In 1989, I was an Ascended Anime Fangirl: I was picked to be the vice-president of General Products USA, the American merchandising arm of the notorious Japanese animation studio Gainax, best known for the sci-fi anime Evangelion.

I was working with the people who'd made an astounding amateur video set to ELO's "Twilight" and less than five years later were pro and making a chain of cult hits. Ascended fanboys. My people.

My people who took me on a year-long trip down a rabbit hole of reality.